Key cutting punch



May 22, 1934. 1 J. CARQN 1,959,813

KEY CUTTING PUNCH Filed Jan. 2, 1934 M la 7 ar-a. 631-022 Patented May 22, 1934 UNETED STATES PATENT GFFICE Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a key cutting punch having an extremely simple and useful means by which the cuts can be made on a key blank, particularly a key blank 5 formed with uniform projections where the cuts are to be made. The key can be placed in the punch of the cutting die with any particular projection in the punch and by one operation of the punch that cut is completed.

The pun is made with notches of the required depths so that each of these cuts will be made at its own specific depth.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter. lo Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a front view of a punch and die constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side View of parts of the same on enlarged scale showing details of construction;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the die, and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

This invention is embodied in the form of a well known type of die press comprising a bed 9 and a female die 10 having a die opening or passage 11 therethrough which is provided with one or more cutting edges 12, three of these outting edges being shown. This constitutes a polygonal female die. This die is shown as mounted on the base 13 of the device which has a frame 14 and a pivoted operating lever 15 provided with an eccentric 16 which operates the punch 17 in the usual way.

The punch is of the same shape as the die opening 11 and is provided on one or more surfaces with a series of notches 18 in a vertical row. Each of these notches extends into the punch a certain distance in accordance with the code on which the key is to be out. For example, the highest one of these notches, on one particular code, extends in .020 inch, the second one .040 inch and the third one .060 inch. For

reasons which will appear, the first one above mentioned is numbered 2 and the others 3 and l respectively. It will be noticed that the top surface of each notch is horizontal and that it has a cutting edge 19.

A key is placed in the No. 2 notch, with its edge moved back against the vertical back wall of the notch, as shown in Fig. 5. The handle 15 is operated to bring the punch down and obviously the cutting surfaces 12 and 19 will cut 5 the blank key to the depth of .020 inch. This completes the cutting of one of the cuts and they are all cut in the same Way. The proper area on the key, of course, has to be placed in the proper notch. The reason for numbering these notches 2, 3 and 4 is that in one code on the market there is no out at No. 1 because the blank is made originally to a No. 1 cut, but that has nothing to do with this invention.

The key is placed so that the No. 2 position or point on the key blank is located in the proper notch, the cut made, then the No. 3 position or point is placed in the proper notch and the next cut made and so on, the number of notches being limited by the maximum number of cuts provided for in the particular code being employed.

Two other cutting surfaces 12 are shown and any number can be employed. These are used for the purpose of cutting keys according to other codes. In the press shown, keys can be cut according to three different codes. In operating, the rear surface of the blank has to rest up against the back vertical surface of the notch in which it is placed and this will make the out exactly the right depth. If it is necessary to space the key cuts one from the other, that can easily be arranged by the use of marks 20 or a sliding gauge, but where key blanks are being out which are provided with projections at the proper distance apart separated by wide spaces it is not necessary to use these marks or a gauge. This constitutes a very simple and inexpensive device for cutting keys and eliminating the use of expensive machinery.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a device for cutting key blanks, the combination of a single female die having a cutting edge, a punching die having a series of notches therein in longitudinal alignment, each notch having a different depth and each notch having a cutting edge for cooperating with the cutting edge of said single die.

2. In a device for cutting keys, the combination of a female die having a polygonal opening therethrough provided with cutting edges at the corners of the polygon, and a head having a punch 105 .of the same shape as said die and provided at each of the angles of the polygon with a vertical row of notches having cutting edges at their tops, said punch fitting the die, said notches of each vertical row having specifically different depths to conform with the depth of the cuts for the key according to the code in which the key belongs.

3. In a key cutting device, the combination of a female die and a male punch having a series of cutting edges arranged in vertical alignment, a notch directly under and communicating with each cutting edge, the depths of said notches conforming to the code to which the key belongs, said notches being marked also in accordance with said code and the rear vertical surfaces of the notches constituting stops for gauging the depth of the cut to be made when a key blank is placed therein and the punch forced into the die opening.

4. In a device for cutting keys, the combination of a female die having a polygonal opening therethrough provided with cutting edge at the corners of the polygon, and a head having a punch of the same shape as said die at the cutting edges and provided at several of the angles of the polygon with notches having cutting edges at their tops, said notches having specifically different depths to conform with the depths of the cuts for the key according to the code in which the key belongs.

5. In a device for cutting keys, the combination of a female die having an opening therethrough provided with cutting edges, and a head having a punch of the same shape as said .die at the cutting edge, and provided at cutting edges with a vertical row of notches having cutting edges at their tops,

said notches of each vertical row having specifically different depths to conform with the depths of the cuts for the key according to the code in which the key belongs.

LUDGER J. CARON. 

